‘73 Last Time Gov-Elect Was Same Party as President

Editor,

I’m writing to correct an error in last week’s editorial concerning the history of Virginia’s governors elections.

It was incorrectly stated that this election could mark the first time since 1977 that a candidate of the same party as the sitting president will be elected governor. In 1977, Republican John Dalton was elected governor when Democrat Jimmy Carter was in the White House. You have to go back to 1973 for the last time that a candidate of the same party as the sitting president was elected governor when Republican Mills Godwin was elected governor when Republican Richard Nixon was in the White House. Godwin had switched parties.

In 1965, Godwin was elected governor as a Democrat. It is interesting to trace the historical evolution of political trends in the Old Dominion.

Gregory S. Paspatis

Alexandria

Calls for Action Against State’s LGBT Discrimination

Editor,

I am an over 30-year resident and property owner in the City of Falls Church. My wife has lived in the City for 47 years. She and our two children all went through the City school system and are George Mason High School alumni.

I wish to address an unacceptable human rights and civil rights violation in the Commonwealth of Virginia of which I have recently become more aware.

I understand that Virginia is one of 32 states that allow many establishments to refuse service to LGBT persons based on their LGBT status alone. Our neighbors in D.C. and Maryland have made this sort of discrimination illegal.

As a parent of an adult child who is a member of the LGBT community, I urge the Falls Church City Council to send a letter to the Governor of the Commonwealth, and to each of our state and federal representatives, condemning this intolerance. I also request that the Falls Church City Council place this matter on the agenda for the coming meeting on the fourth Monday of October, or the second Monday of November, to discuss how the City can address this issue for its many LGBT residents.

Alex Varouxis

Falls Church

Happy That Dogs Are Welcome Again At Clare & Don’s

Editor,

I was saddened a few weeks back when I read that Clare and Don’s stopped allowing dogs on their patio because of a complaint by a customer (bah humbug!) but I was very happy to hear in last week’s News-Press that they have obtained a special variance to allow dogs once again on their patio! Hats off to Clare and Don’s for making this happen!

Janice Zucker

Falls Church

Objecting to ‘Sickening’ Anti-Abortion Posters

Editor,

Let me start off with saying that I am all for the freedoms given to us as Americans by the First Amendment, but I do believe that there is a point that some forms of protest should not be allowed. Our city is made up of hundreds of children who should not be exposed to images used in some protests.

I have found that I am driving past a particular protest every day that, quite frankly, even as a near-adult disturbs me to no end. I’m referring to the protesters in front of the abortion clinic on Lee Highway. While most of us are familiar with these protesters and give them little to no attention, they have recently taken to using one poster that is especially sickening. It saddens me to imagine the number of children as well as adults, that over the past few weeks have been exposed to this horrifying image of a mutilated, dead baby.

While I cannot say I am either for or against their cause I am strongly against the direct outcome these protesters create. Just this afternoon traffic was stopped along Lee Highway due to an accident by a rubbernecker distracted by the obscene poster. If I had a child I would have marched up to these protesters and told them to discontinue using that particular poster immediately. For now, I will continue to pass by this sign every day with nothing but disgust.

Ashley Alexander

Falls Church

Slow Pedestrian Angers Impatient, Rude Drivers

Editor,

I’m an old man, with cataract, in constant pain and I move slowly. Twice last month I have crossed streets in the City of Falls Church with the walk man signal. Twice I have been honked at for not finishing my journey before the light changed. Twice drivers have nearly run me over. One hooked at me for being in his way and barely slowed down. The other cussed at me for being in his way, honked and gave me the finger.

In light of the murder at the Capitol last month, I’m wondering if Falls Church pedestrians should start packing pistols.

Scot Walker

Falls Church

Bumped Old Health Plan Due To Obamacare

Editor,

Most of the readers of the FCNP have health insurance provided through your employers and the recent changes brought about by the Affordable Care Act really don’t affect you. I have been reading stories for months about the effect the Act is having in the private sector, where an employer might not hire any more full time employees or reduces the hours of existing employees to 29 hours a week so he doesn’t have to pay that employee’s health insurance.

Those of us who are self employed pay for our own health insurance. My family recently received a letter from our provider saying that, due to the changes mandated by the Affordable Care Act, we would have to select another plan which complied with the new regulations. We must pay for maternity care, for example, though we have no intention of adding to our family. The new plan will cost us an additional $270/month.

For those who think healthcare is a “right” and that, as a rich nation, we should be providing insurance to all, I wonder whether you want to pay $270/month to support this ideal. I didn’t vote for this president. I didn’t support Obamacare because I thought it was bad for the country and for the economy. But Obama said – over and over again – that if we liked our current plan, we could keep it. We could keep our doctor and, for most people, the cost of our insurance would go down.

The stories are all over the news that people’s rates are going up – many more dramatically than our cost did. This is wrong. If I didn’t have minor children whose health and welfare are under my care, I would drop my insurance and pay the fine. I’m that mad.

Not that it will do a lick of good, but I contacted Congressman Moran and Senators Kaine and Warner this morning, as well as the White House. I hope enough Americans who are being affected by this law will follow suit.

Ellen McRae

Falls Church

Fairfax Co. Court Not Abiding By Decedent’s Wishes

Editor,

It is morally and ethically wrong for the Fairfax Co. court system to knowingly and deliberately force a decedent’s estate to be distributed contrary to his very clearly stated wishes. I tried to get the probate system (supported by your tax dollars) to use VA statute 62.4-404 “Writings intended as wills” to repair the flawed will of a very dear friend. They didn’t even give me a hearing before rejecting the plea.

In writing, I gave them my offer to testify under oath as to what he wanted, a statement from a friend confirming what he wanted and several letters as to my truthfulness.

What more do they want? Can no one help?

Rebecca Prather

Falls Church

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Ashley, I am sorry that the pictures disturb you. Doesn’t that fact that babies are getting scraped and sucked out of their uncaring hosts, disturb you as well? The only good thing that comes from these abortion clinics is that the the world has been saved from all those additional liberally raised babies..

vseidita

Ellen,

Prior to Obama-care there were 40 Million people in our country with no medical insurance. In addition self employed individuals with individual plans have no protection for pre-existing conditions. We can all agree that the Obama-care program has its flaws but for many it represents an opportunity for coverage where none was available previously. Like you I will be paying more than I did before. I find that thinking about the 40 millions who will now have insurance softens the blow for me. I hope over time that it will for you too!

David

“40 million” can only have insurance if they are willing and able to sign up. I say “willing” because many healthy individuals simply do not want to pay for health insurance. Some even want to pay for healthcare with their own money, as opposed to their insurers. Perish the thought!

If you want to help insure people without insurance, feel free to send them money. Don’t force everyone else to do it too.

vseidita

David,
In the scenario you advocate, what should a hospital do when a patient with neither insurance nor demonstrable means to pay present himself in the emergency room seeking major emergency surgery?

JFallsChurch

Not create thousand pages of new legislation, create government run healthcare, etc.

David

Mr. Walker, I’m sorry to hear that you’ve been honked at by people driving through intersections. Perhaps their behavior is the result of a far more frequent occurrence in this City: people who intentionally walk against the light or who are able-bodied and make no effort to cross in the time allotted. Those people deserve to be honked at, because they have no regard for the rules of the road, or others’ time.

Your comment about pedestrians carrying pistols seems a bit absurd. You have a right to carry a pistol under Virginia law. Using it in the matter you imply, however, will probably result in you being either imprisoned or flattened. Instead of shooting someone who is merely obeying the traffic lights (even if they are being rude), perhaps you should advocate the City adjust the timing at certain intersections.

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